History of Maserati Motorcycles

Manufactured: 1953-1962

Maserati was purchased by Adolfo Orsi in 1937, and post-war the company suffered serious labour disputes resulting, in 1950, in the deaths of several protestors. In 1952 Orsi split the company up between his siblings. His sister, Idi Orsi, took charge of the company which made electronic components, Società Anonima Fabbrica Candele Accumulatori Maserati. This part of the company had survived the war years in part by supplying the components required by the Maserati automobile plants to construct electric vehicles.

Obviously a woman of some nous, Ida purchased the well-established Italmoto concern and rebranded their existing models as Maserati. Italmoto had a good sales network, with avenues into markets in Europe, North America and South Africa.

In 1953 the first motorcycle Maseratis appeared on the market. The T2, a single cylinder 123cc two-stroke with three-speed transmission, tubular frame, swing arm rear suspension and capable of 80 km/h.

With the same frame, the company also produced the 160/T4 model, with a 158cc four-stroke engine and four-speed gearbox and capable of 95 km/h. In 1955, the T2 was fitted with telescopic front forks.

Two more fourstrokes were the OHC 250 T4 capable of 120 km/h, and the 175cc S 175 which was also quite fast.

In 1956 they introduced 125 and 160cc two-strokes, which joined the existing 175 and 250cc fourstroke models. The marque survived into the 1960s.